Too busy to stitch much...

Yes would you believe that in the last week I've hardly touched my stitching. It's been absolute chaos here with the end of school christmas parties, normal swimming and karate lessons.

On Sunday my mum came over from Barnsley to babysit our 3 so DH and I could go to his works Christmas party. This year it was held in a hotel called Tankersley Manor which isn't far from us but heavy snow that day meant the drive took ages. I ended up abandoning my car at the side of the hotel with the help of DH & one of the catering staff helping push it to one side. Luckily the hotel had people out with shovels and grit just after. Luckily for us we were booked in for the night, a nice warm room and change of clothes later and we hit the bar. The party was fun and didn't finish til gone 1am (latest we've been up for years apart from the kids being ill or newborn LOL!) Only bad thing was that I finally caught the sickness bug that has been going round the school and clubs. The kids had all had it but it waited til we were away and I actually relaxed before it hit me. I didn't drink much so we knew it wasn't that but I was up all night ill. My dad drove over on Monday morning and drove us home in our car where I promptly went to bed, he returned for his car later in the day.

I did manage to finish DS2s Christmas biscornu. I used the ASAW SAL alternative design by Val from Friendly Stitchers DS2 loved the little reindeer so much he wanted him made into Rudolph for him...so here he is and now hangs on our tree.







The only other  stitching I finished this week was a square for Quilts for Breast Cancer  This time the chosen design was butterflies so instead of just 1 butterfly I decided to adapt a design from the New Stitches magazine and do 4 the same but slightly different...if you get my meaning LOL!  I'm pleased with how it's turned out so hopefully the recipiant will be as well.  I've charted another 2 squares for QFBC and will start stitching those after Boxing Day so I can post all 3 together.

Although I've not done much stitching I have done a bit of stash building :-)   I've bought some more cottons, plain and hand dyed.  Bought the chart Angel of Freedom by Lavender & Lace. Picked up a hardback copy of All Our Yesterdays book from a local bookstore who were having a clearout, some of the designs inside will be great for gifts for people I know. Also got a new scroll frame to go into my Lowery (only 3 days to go!) so I can start on my Darcy Photostitch. My dad has bought me a cross stitch book I've been wanting for a while after I borrowed it from our local library...they made me give it back; spoilsports!!

I've decided that I'm going to be more organised in 2010 with my stitching and make a list of all the projects I definitely want to do or finish. I'll list them all on the side of my blog and tell you which ones I'm hoping to do.  As you can see from the WIP SAL I've changed the picture to my ASAW now the Christmas SAL is finished. I've printed the charts off for week 51 and hope to do that this week then can you believe it...a year is gone and the last one will be due out.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY STITCHING FRIENDS, BOTH KNOWN AND TO KNOW. HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS WITH LOTS OF LOVELY STASH PRESENTS AND LAUGHS WITH YOUR LOVED ONES. XXXX

Finished and Framed

Just had to put this photo first, our daughter Darcy taken Sunday morning. She came into our room and decided to sneak to my side of the bed to check if I still had a stash of chocolate but her dad caught her.

Here finally is a photograph of the Margaret Sherry design "Photographer Cat" that I stitched for DH. Managed to finally find a frame I liked and best of all it's a stand-alone frame so doesn't have a fiddly back on it.

My Christmas SAL also came to a close after I'd stitched DD initials in the circles. Found this frame by accident while I was looking for something else. I would have preferred a purple border inside but they didn't have any the right size so white was the best choice. DD shouted "Pretty" when she saw it framed so that's all that counts, it's going to be hung in her bedroom after Christmas. Thank you Carole for a fantastic SAL.

In the last week I finally started my butterfly square for the Quilts for Breast Cancer group, I couldn't find a butterfly that I liked so have adapted a design from one of my magazines. Instead of just 1 butterfly there are 4, each slightly different although all in the same colours. It should be finished by the weekend. Another square I've been working on I've had to design as I couldn't find a chart of an old fashioned pitcher jug. Most of the chart is done it just needs a bit of 'tweaking' here and there then I can start stitching it.

I'm also working on my A Stitch A Week with Friendly Stitchers, I've completed the centre panel and have last weeks square to stitch. Can't believe there are only a few weeks left of 2009, I notice it more with how many squares are left to stitch rather than a calender! Abi has designed a wonderful Band Sampler for next years FS SAL, I've already bought the material so just need to choose threads now.

Last week was soooo busy here. DS1 had his normal karate lesson on Wednesday & Thursday, then on Friday we were told that he needed to be there at 5pm for a full dress rehearsal for their Christmas Show that weekend. Argh! Not only did Peter have school but he was going to see a pantomime (cinderella) in Chesterfield that afternoon, the coach didn't arrive back at school until 4.50pm so it was a quick rush back to Sheffield Dragons, into his costume and off he went to practice. Luckily the Little Dragons could come out at just gone 6pm so I changed him into his party clothes as...yep you guessed it...he had a party to go to, one of the girls in his school was having a 6th birthday party at a nearby play centre. Our poor little man had been out from 8.30am til 9pm, he's only 5 so is used to being in bed by 7pm. Saturday he slept in a bit but that night it was back to Sheffield Dragons for his show, I went and videoed it but we didn't get back until 9.15pm after all the Little Dragons were presented with a certificate for taking part so he was in bed late again. Up late again on Sunday and this time DH & I went so he took some photographs...we brought Peter out at the halfway interval so he was in bed an hour earlier. Monday morning he had his school nativity concert...which was fabulous so big clap to Beighton Nursery Infant School for a wonderful show. It made the weeks of hearing him sing Rockin Robin and Rockin Around The Christmas Tree worth it. DH took some photographs but everytime he saw his dad with the camera he put his head down. We've only got DS2s nativity on Thursday and then it's quiet time again...I'll be glad of the rest and being able to spend a bit more time at home stitching rather than being a taxi!

Never Give Up Hope

Here is my Hope project all finished after staying up late to stitch on the last beads. Showed it to my daughter Darcy this morning and she said "Darcy's" so even at 23mths old she knows what she wants!  For anyone who hasn't seen the sister design Believe that I completed in November the designs are out of a book called "Bewitching Cross Stitch" by Joan Elliott. It's stitched on 28ct Sparkling Fairy Tale by Sparklies using normal DMC stranded cottons and Mill Hill Beads. I'm so pleased with how it's turned out :-)

I've also finally completed a Christmas ornament for my children. This is a snowman stitched on plastic canvas, bought it ages ago but only just finished it off. 

Also managed to complete a couple of small items for the kids and a silver snowman. Not quite sure what to do with the snowman though, card, frame or ornament?

This week I'm going to try and catch up on my SALs. I've only part 12 and Darcy's initials to go on my Christmas SAL then its completed. I've started the centre panel on my A Stitch A Week SAL, after that I'm a couple of squares behind but the postman has delivered my fairy charm for the centre of one of them. Hope you're all having lots of relaxing stitching time inbetween getting ready for the festivities. Take Care XX

Stitching Progress

As regular visitors will by now have realised the photograph at the top has changed. It's now turned cold here in Yorkshire but 2 weeks ago DH, Darcy and myself went off to Bakewell for the morning. It was quite cold and windy but the sun was shining gloriously, even the threat of rain didn't happen until we got back to Sheffield. This photo is taken overlooking part of the Peak National Park, we just pulled into the side of the road so DH could hop out of the car with his camera. I'll bet the photos taken in winter with snow down would be fabulous...not volunteering to drive DH then!

I've finally caught up with my Christmas SAL, completed part 11 this lunchtime while daughter Darcy was having a nap and both sons were in school. I'm really pleased with how it's turned out even though I did change my mind twice on whether to put 2009 or Noel on it. As you can see in the end I decided on 2009 so that I can put Darcy's initials in the circles.

Tonight I've finally started on the sister design to my Believe project, this one is called Hope. I'm sewing it on hand dyed 28ct called "Sparkling Fairy Tale" by Sparklies Luckily I bought this before they went to the Harrogate Show as certain members from Friendly Stitchers (Hello Mouse!) (we have reliably been informed) raided their stall LOL!

I've also managed to complete the 3rd part of my Christmas Wallhanging. Most of this was sewn while our eldest son Peter was in his karate class. He goes twice a week after school and each class is 45 minutes long, my dad usually has our younger son Luke with him as he gets bored waiting and daughter Darcy is with me but she loves sitting watching them practise on the CCTV. She's even picked up how to do the first Kata, she can't start lessons until she's 3 so heaven knows how much she'll be able to do in another years time after watching her brother! Must get moving on part 4 or I'll never get it sewn in time for this Christmas and there's only 3 weeks to go now. I did want to put baubles and trimmings on it but Peter said no after we'd read the story "The Little Christmas Tree"...who am I to argue with a 5yr old?!

Finally here is December's Calendar square, no December fairy yet as she's had to be put to one side while I caught up on my SALs and other projects that needed completing urgently.